As usual, we’re asking the wrong questions about this issue.
Instead of: What caused the shortage? When will enough Formula be available again?
We should be asking: Why do so many mothers need formula to give their children nutrition in the first place? Why does natural milk from their mothers make some children ill so they must be fed an unnatural solution? Could it be the food that the mothers themselves eat that creates milk that is not healthy for the baby? Why do health authorities insist that people are not capable of making a safe alternative at home?
It’s certainly not because the stuff they sell in stores is safe! I picked an item at random. This product has a total of 59 ingredients, and literally none of them are real food! Not one!
http://static.abbottnutrition.com/cms-prod/m.abbottnutrition.com/img/Infant-Formula.pdf
Here’s a few select ingredients with my comments:
1. Corn Syrup Solids (55%). Really? The # 1 Ingredient, at over 50%?? This, of course, would be the stuff left over after you make corn syrup. They needed someplace to use it up so they didn’t have to throw it away. You know, use everything but the “OINK!”. Let’s just throw it in Baby formula. No one will notice. I’ll bet you hadn’t.
2. High Oleic Safflower Oil (9%). Seed oils are not the healthy choice for anyone, let alone children.
3. Medium-Chain Triglycerides (8%): In other words, unnatural fats made in a lab.
4. Soy Oil (7%): So, yet another seed oil. Total 16% of the product now, if you’re counting.
5. Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate: Citrate based supplements can be neurotoxic to some people. I hope your baby isn’t one of them.
6. Folic Acid: Synthetic version can cause problems for certain people with MTHFR Gene Mutations.
7. Cyanocobalamin: Synthetic version of vitamin B12. Some people cannot process it properly, and it also leaves a small amount of cyanide in the body. Yes, the poison cyanide. Oh, and if your baby has Lieber’s Eye disease, it will make them blind. The natural form hydroxycobalamin will not cause any of these problems. By the cyano version is cheaper and stores for a longer period, so the risk/benefit is better, right?
No, I don’t think the problem that needs to be solved here is the Formula shortage. The real problem is that we need to educate mothers about what is healthy to feed their children.
And our society and culture needs to give them the time and resources to do it.
Exactly! The ingredients in these products is something that was never mentioned.